Press Releases

EMSB HOPEFUL THAT JOHN F. KENNEDY FACILITY COULD REOPEN IN THE SPRING

MONTREAL, FEBRUARY 21, 2013 –The Council of Commissioners of the English Montreal School Board has approved final expenditures for the necessary work to reopenJohn F. Kennedy High School and Business Centre (JFKBC) in St. Michel by this spring.

Following the discovery of traces of asbestos, the facility was closed last May. High school students have since been housed at Rosemount High School while JFKBC operations have shifted to the Rosemount Technology Centre Curtis George Campus in Montreal North and the Shadd Business Centre in N.D.G. The final expenditures for the building are the re-insulating of pipes that are located in the ceilings; renewal of the fire detection system; and the cleaning of the building once it is deemed to have passed air tests. EMSB Chairman Angela Mancini says this will bring the total cost to more than $2.8 million.

“The contractor has submitted his estimates for the work,” EMSB Director General Robert Stocker stated. “Our professional, EnviroServices, has completed evaluating the costs submitted to determine if the costs are fair. We are accountable for responsibly managing public funds and must therefore always assess the reasonableness of estimates submitted by contractors.”

Air testing commenced last week and continues. The work addressed by the previously-mentioned change orders has no effect on the timing of the air testing. If air testing results are acceptable, the facility may be available to the EMSB by the beginning of April. At that time preparations could commence to ready the facility in terms of equipment installation.

“We expect to issue another update very soon once logistical plans have been finalized for a more precise return date of the students to the JFK facility,” commented Ms. Mancini.